See Every Design from Sergio Guadarrama's Inspiring Finale Runway Show
The Project Runway finalist opened up about Season 18 and the future of his sustainable, socially conscious fashion career.
Bravo's Project Runway contestant Sergio Guadarrama has “had a blast” throughout the entire process of Season 18. The designer spoke exclusively to BravoTV.com to open up about everything he’s learned this season, and what’s to come next.
Sergio’s line, Celestino, is known for its classic designs with modern twists, but competing on Project Runway has challenged the designer to move out of his comfort zone. Sergio explained that designer and judge Brandon Maxwell helped inspire a breakthrough.
“The best advice I got was from Brandon, on how to create a modern collection. I really like to focus on history to create, and they felt like sometimes I got too stuck in those places,” said Sergio. “So to create that modern perspective is to kind of mess up what it is that I’m doing to create something new, and that really resonated with me.”
Updating his collection isn’t the only thing Sergio has achieved this season. He has also leaned in to giving his designs purpose by adding political messaging.
“The reason I came on to Project Runway was to make a change in terms of social issues, economic issues, and making the world a better place. My intentions have always been pure and positive, and I do really want to make the world a better place with what I love to do, which is fashion."
But Sergio doesn’t just talk the talk. He has already begun making his work more sustainable and socially conscious. Although fashion sustainability is not something he learned in school, he's taking the necessary steps after realizing that the industry is in need of a change. This means that although he’s been working in fashion for 20 years, he’s willing to take things slowly in order to do it all correctly.
“To create $5 shirts, there’s definitely human beings and the environment being taken advantage of... It’s gonna take me a lot longer to be successful in people’s eyes, because I’m not raking in millions of dollars because I don’t want to compromise myself in that capacity. And so, I want to change the narrative of success being where you help people, instead of making money.”
Although Sergio did not walk away as the winner of Project Runway season 18, he seems to have achieved what he came on the show to do: make an impact.
Scroll through to take a look at each one of Sergio’s final runway looks.
-- Reporting by Chantel Morel
